It's national dress but you'd be forgiven for failing to realise it. But while the majority managed to make their mermaid, the Eiffel Tower and Viking inspired outfits look glamorous, the same couldn't be said for the bizarre creation worn by the USA's Erin Brady.

Eschewing traditional stars and stripes, Miss Brady instead chose a strange catsuit that appeared to have been inspired by the Michael Bay franchise, Transformers.

By contrast, Britain's Amy Willerton looked to history for her gown and ended up with a mishmash of Elizabethan royal splendour and Dita von Teese on tour.

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Not quite the real deal: Miss Great Britain, Amy Willetts, hits the catwalk in an interesting interpretation of British style, complete with a replica of the Imperial State Crown

Northern Lights: Finland's Lotta Hintsa in an ensemble inspired by the Aurora Borealis

Although the Bristolian did manage to inject a shot of glamour into the look, her white stockings, a purple garter and replica of the Imperial
State Crown, made the ensemble less Elizabethan and more
medieval-themed Halloween party.

She was appearing in the National
Costumes Show, the first in a series of events leading up to the final
of the Miss Universe pageant which concludes on the 9th November in the
Russian city of Krasnogorsk, and the only one to insist on patriotic dress.

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What transpired was less patriotic dress and more style world tour, as contestants drew upon everything from natural phenomena to history and geography to create their look.

Among those looking to the past was Miss Sweden, who chose a Viking-inspired get-up, which came complete with a sequinned armour-plated bodice and a silver sword.

Bizarre though Alexandra Friburg's look was, she at least managed to make an effort which is more than could be said for Miss Denmark who appeared in an insipid blue crop top and skirt combination, that appeared to be inspired by Copenhagen's Little Mermaid Statue.

Miss Finland also chose blue but referenced the Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, with her sequin-spangled ensemble. Germany's Anne Julia Hagen, meanwhile, chose a garish black, red and gold outfit that inexplicably had a pair of huge golden rings hanging off the hem.

Belgium's contestant took inspiration from Halloween rather than her home nation, and stepped out onto the runway in a black feathered dress, oversized headdress and demonic trident that appeared to have little in common with Belgium.

Stephanie Tency, from the Netherlands, did at least manage to choose something that referenced her home country. Her blue ensemble appeared to be inspired by Amsterdam and came complete with canals, embroidered tulips and a windmill.

Another who looked to her nation's capital for her pageant gown was Miss France, Hinarani de Longeaux, who chose a sparkling silver design inspired by Paris' iconic Eiffel Tower.

More inspiring were the looks that came from the Far East, with Yumi Kim, Miss Korea, appearing in a luxury version of her country's actual national dress, as did Japan's Yukimi Matsuo who wore a geisha-inspired ensemble.

While not every outfit hit the heights of Matsuo's, the remaining 85 contestants have a week to finesse their look before hitting the stage at the Miss Universe finals on the 9th.

Last year's winner, the USA's Olivia Culpo, will be on hand to pass on her crown while the judging panel includes American former model Carol Alt, South African fashion designer Marc Bouwer and Aerosmith frontman, Steve Tyler.

Capital chic: The Netherlands' Stephanie Tency appeared in a silk and sequins version of Amsterdam, complete with canals, tulips and a windmill

That's SWITZERLAND? While it's unclear what inspired the dress of the Alpine nation's entrant, Dominique Rinderknecht, the origin of Vietnam's Truong Thi May was clear